Fabric-opening device.



E'. GHA-TPIELD. PABRIG QPENING DEVISE.' APPLIQATI'QN HLM F2315, 1910.

Patented J une 20, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Q Mon;

Nrw

5%( ffm! P. GHATPIELD.

FABRIC OPENING DEVICE ABILICATION FILED FEB, 5,1910.

Patent-edm@ 2o, 1911 3 SHEETS-SHBET E. j y

P. AGHATFIELD.

FABIHC OPENING DEVICE. APPLIGATION FILED H1B. 5, 1910.

995,522, Patented Jun n 1,911.

, UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

' FRANKLIN CHATFIELD, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FABRIC-OPENING i DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patnted June 20, 1911 e Application filed February 5, 1910. Serial No. 542,367. Y

To.` all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN CI-IATEIELD,

` of' Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minne i Sota,

have invented certain new 'and useful Improvements fin Fabrie-pening Devlces, of'which the following is a specieation.

The primary object of my invention is to .The invention consists generally in means 'A-dispo'sed within the 'tube and supported by frictional engagement with the wall of the tube,

the weight of said 'means operating to open the tube and uneoil or untwist it when y necessary as the tube is fedv along.

' Further the invention consists in a feed regulating `mechanism by which the delivery fof the tube is controlled. Y

Further the invention consists in means for checking the feed ofthe fabric when the weight of the opening device fails to open or Vuncoil the tube.

' "In the accompanying drawings forming part `of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is av slde'view, partially in section,

- illustrating the manner of feeding the fab- Vwhich the ric tube into the machine, Fig. 3 is an elevation of the machine with the fabric tube broken away to `show the-straightening device, Figa. is a detail view of the fabric feeding means.

vIn the drawing, 2 represents `frame,`3 a feed roller journaled therein over fabric tube 4 passes from asuitablereceptacle 5. The fabric rests 'by gravity upon the roll 'and isfed with the revolu Vtio`n`of the roll from the receptacle 5. Arms Gare carried by brackets 7 pivoted at 8 and between'these arms is a roll 9 which extends lengthwise of theroll Bbeneath the fabric `tube. 'i Areceptacle 10 is pivoted at 11 and' a lbail12 connects the said receptacle with thea suitable i bracket 7, so that when the bracket is depressed, the arms 6 will be oscillated, the roll 9 lifted to raise the tube out of Contact with the roll 3 and temporarily check the feed of the fabric. This takes'place when a certain weight of fabric has accumulated in the recept-acle 10 sutlicient to overcome the weight of the arms, roll 9 and the fabric tube. At

this time the receptacle will swing downward, lifting the fabric out of contact with the roll and checking the feed of the fabric until the desired amount has been dra-wn from the receptacle. The tube 1passes up be# tween vrollers 13 and over a ro er14 at the top `of the machine frame and from thence to the drier, or to 4any other apparatus by which the next step A formed.

of *the process is per-1.

`Arms 15 are secured :on a shaft 15 and I carry rollers 13 which are adapted to swing upwardly and operate ,the clutch device'to stop the feedin case the opening apparatus is carried up byV the fabric into `engagement with the rollers. 16 arranged to receive an arm '17 on a `rock shaft 18, said rock shaft-having an arm'194 connecting it with a clutch device V20 on a shaft 2 1. When the rolls 13 are raised byv the engagement of the straightening devicef therewith, the clutch 20 will be operated to stop the feed of the fabric. The straightenig. 3, consists of a rod 23 having wheels 24 and 25 thereon near its loweriend ,adapted to carry removable scale weights 24 which I utilizewhenthe device is used for a heavy fabric.V A sliding collar 26 is mountedon the rod 23 and pivotally connected withl arms 27 which diverge upwardly from said collar, terminating in Vslightly curved ends 28 carrying anta-friction wheels 29. A thumb screw 26", (see Fig. 3) is mounted on the stop 31 and engages the rod 23 to lock the stop in its adjusted osition thereon. These wheels bear on the abric and follow the ribs therein. The collar 26 is slidablh against the tension of a spring 30 arranged onsaid rod between said collar and an adjustable stop 31, by the movement of which theY tension of thespring can be increased or decreased in a given stroke of the. collar. The spring tends to follce the collar 26 down-V wardly on the rod and spread the arms 27, holding them outwardly against the fabric The shaft 15"*has a .fork

inrdevice, which I have illustrated in detail l 1n with a yielding pressure. A clamp 32 is mounted on the upper end of the rod 23 and pivotallyconnect'edby arms33 with the upper ends of the arms' 27. These arms 33 hold the .arms 27 outwardly or press them apart, acting as guides therefor during the movement of the collar 26-on the rod 23. The opening device lies loosely Ain the tube 'below the rollers '13,"

being supported entirely by itsfrictional engagement with the walls of the tube, and its Weight causes the twistsA in the fabric to be unwound, opening the tube and smoothing out the wrinkles and'creases as the fabric slides over the wheels. and arms upwardly For heavy fabricI may place a weight 2li on the rod 23 to assist. in holding the device I A.being carried upwardly fwith. the tube against the rollers.

between the rollers 13. In case a knot or twist forms in the tube below the opening device and does not uncoill or unwind, the

opening vdevice ,will be raised into contact with the rollers 13 and the feed of the tube will be temporarily stopped when the attendant will untwist the tube by hand, the opening device will drop down to its normal position and the feed will be automatically resumed.

/"The device -as shown is adapted for various sizes 'of tubes and weights of fabric.

in, place in the tube and preventing it'from By movement of the stop 3l the tension of the spring can -be. `in

creased or decreased to adapt the device for'- fabrics of'diiferent weight ortubes Ofdif ferent sizes.A The leverage ofthe' arms' 27 on the'fspring will increase as they move. to-

Ward the rod and willv equalize the increasf ring resistance ofthe spring resulting from l"such a movement. This mcreased leverage isdue to the f-act'thatthe links 33 and the rod 23 and the slide 26 form, in effect, -a tog- .gle arrangement, and the nearer the links 33 are in line-'with the rod- 23 the greater force the arms 27 will exert on the4 spring 30.and evidently, ifthe block 3l is locked by means ofits set screw, the movement of the slide 26'upwardly on'therodwill'compress the spring 3Q. and increase itsresistance to the movement of the arms. In this way I am ,ablev to provide asubstantially uniform pressure for the varying sizes of tubes.

. III-various-ways the details of construc' tion of this openlng device may be modified without departing .from the spirit of my invention, the essential feature 'being the ap' pliance yadaptedfor tubes of various sizes and weights and capable'of opening vand smoothing the tube before its delivery to thev drier. A number of these devices are usually arranged in' a group where an attendant can easilycare for them, in 'twisting or uncollingportions of the tubeswhich the opening device may be unable to separate. j

I claim as my invention 1. 'The combination, with a fabric feeding arms with the wall of the tube.

means, of a tilting receptacle arranged to tiltunder the weight of a predetermined amount of fabric therein, and means connected With said receptacle and operated thereby for temporarily supporting the fab ric out of contact with said feeding means.

2, The combination, with a fabric feeding roll, ofra tilting receptacle' arranged to tilt under the weight of a predetermined'amount of fabric therein, and means connected with said receptacle and operated .thereby for temporarily moving the fabric out of contact with said roll.

' 3. The combination, with a fabric feeding roll, of 'a tilting receptacle arranged ,to tilt under the weight of a predetermined amount of fabric therein, pivoted arms overhanging' said roll, means connecting said arms with one another and over which connecting means the fabric passes, said tilting receptacle bein operatively connected with s al ns and into which receptacle-the fabric is 4C. A ibric tube opening device comprisinga'frame having arms adapted to bear on the fabric, and said frame being supported .by frictional engagementof its arms with the fabric.

5. A device for untwisting a'vfabric tube, consisting of a rod, arms slida'bly ymounted on said rod and adapted to bear on the wall of the tube, and braces for holding said. -arms apart,'said rod and arms being suspended by frictional engagement. of said 6. A fabric tube opening device, .comprising means within the tube and adapted to ,bear on the walls thereof and supported'byfrictional engagement with the Wall of said tube, ythe weight of said means operating to unwind or untwist the tube as it is fed along. 7 The combination, with 'means for feed- Ving a fabric tube vertically, of means adaptf ed to be placedv Within sald tubebelow said feeding means and bearing on.. the wa'll of said tube and-held by frictional engagement with the wall Aof said tube and its weight operating to untwistfor .unwind the tube.

v 8. A fabric'tube opening device,.coinpris "ing'a rod and adapted to fit Within a-fabric tube, a collar slidable on the upper portion 4of said rod, arms pivotally connected with said collar and havingouter ends adapted to ,1210

bear onthe wall-of the tube, said arms` supporting said rod by their frictionalengage- .mentwith the walls of said tube, braces slidably connecting said rod `'with the outer portions of said arms', and-a spring interposed between said braces and arms on said rod.

9. A'fabric tube opening device, comprising a rod having removable weights' at its lower end, and spring ressed arms slidably connected with said ro and adapted tobear on. the walls'of the fabrictube, the frictional said tube supporting said rod and said weight within specified..

10. AV-fabric tube opening device, comprising a* rod, spring pressed arms slidably mounted at one end on said rod vand having said tube for4 the purpose anti-friction wheels adapted to bear on the wall of the tube, means for guiding-said arms, said opening device being suspended by the frictional engagement of said wheels with the walls of said tube, means for feeding the fabric tube, means controlling the operation of said feeding means, and rollers in the path of said opening device and opl,

erative means. f

11. A fabric, ube opening device comprising a'rod, arms slidable thereonand normally in frictional engagement with the walls of said` tube and supporting said rod by such engagement, the weight of said rod and armsoperating to unwind or untwist the ,fabric tube, means for feeding the fabric, and means operatively connected with said feeding means to stop the same and located in the ath of said opening device to be actuate thereby when the weight of said opening device fails to uncoil the tube, substantially as described.y n 12. A fabric opening device comprising a framehaving means .adapted to bear on the Wall of the fabric and supported by ,frictional engagement of said mea-ns with the fabric, and awheel carried bythe lower portion ofsaid frame. i

13. A fabric tube opening device comy connected with said .controlling prising a suitable frame and a wheel carried thereby, said frame being adapted to bear on the wall of the fabric, the weight of said frame 'and Wheel causing'y the coiled or twisted tube below said Wheel to unwind before passing the same.

14. The combination, with means for feeding a f-a-brictube at an angle to the horizontal, of a fabric opening device adapted tobe loosely placed within the tube and supported `by frictional engagement with the wall ofthe fabric, the weight of said device operating to unwind or untwist the fabric l tube.

15. A fabric tube opening device comprising-a frame having means for bearing on the wall of the tube and supported byfric- 16. A fabric tube, opening device comprising an ,op ninjgg device having means adapted to bear on the Wall of the fabric and supported by frictiona-l engagement of said means with the fabric, the weight of said opening device operating to unwind and open the fabric-tube, means for feedin the fabric, means operatively connecte with said feeding means to stop the same and located in the path of said opening device tojbe actuated thereb when the Weight of said opening device ails to uncoilthe tube.

17. A fabric tube lopening device comprising an expansible frame adapted to 4 be placed within a fabric tube and supported by frictional engagement with the Wall of the fabric, and means for regulating the degree of expansion of said frame to adapt it "for fabrics of different weight or tubes of different sizes. 18. A fabric tube opening device comprising spring actua-ted arms adapted to bear on the inner surface of the tube and supported by frictional engagement with the tube, and means for increasing i or decreasing the spring tension on said arms.

19. A fabric tube opening device comprising` a rod, spring actuated arms 4mounted thereon .and adapted to fcontact with the inner wall of the fabric and be supported thereby, the weight of said rod and arms operating to unwind and open the tube. f

20. A fabric tube opening device comprising arms adapted'to bear on the inner surface of a fabric tube and supported by fric- `tional engagement with said tube, means for `yieldingly holding said arms in Contact with said tube and a weight device connected with said arms.

. 21. A fabric tube opening device comprisi ing. a rod, arms mounted thereon yand adapted to-contact with the inner surface of a fabrictube, a spring carried by said vrod, 

